Every year, the Michigan Municipal League’s peer-nominated Community Excellence Award competition recognize transformational ideas and innovative solutions to the many challenges facing communities. Increasingly, these local success stories are place-based projects and initiatives that are having a profound socioeconomic impact on communities in each of the state’s seven regions.

The 2013 CEA winner was Ironwood in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, where the Depot Park revitalization project has transformed a historic railroad depot into a key focus point in the community. Once completed in its entirety, the park will merge city blocks and add a pavilion, playground equipment, landscaping, volleyball courts, and other amenities in an effort to promote health, history and recreation. The park also serves as a trail head for the vast network of non-motorized trails crisscrossing the region.

Ironwood—Depot Park Revitalization from Michigan Municipal League on Vimeo.

The other regional finalists were also outstanding examples of the power of placemaking to transform a community by creating a sense of place and identity while enhancing the quality of life.

Fenton, Holly and Linden’s Shiawassee River Heritage Water Trail

Fenton, Holly, & Linden—Shiawassee River Heritage Water Trail from Michigan Municipal League on Vimeo.

St. Joseph’s Silver Beach development

st-joe-silver-beach-development from Michigan Municipal League on Vimeo.

Belding’s Community Garden

Belding Community Garden from Michigan Municipal League on Vimeo.

DeWitt’s Community Showcase

DeWitt—Community Showcase from Michigan Municipal League on Vimeo.

Imlay City’s SEED economic gardening program

Imlay City—SEED Economic Gardening from Michigan Municipal League on Vimeo.

Rogers City’s Dancin’ Downtown streetscape and revitalization

Rogers City—Placemaking: Dancin’ Downtown from Michigan Municipal League on Vimeo.